savage
part of speech
adjective (savage; more savage, most savage); noun (a savage, savages — offensive when used about people); verb (savage, savages, savaged, savaging)
meaning for a pupil
1) Savage means very fierce, violent and cruel, like a savage attack by a wild animal. tree →
2) Savage can mean very severe or harsh, such as savage cuts to spending or savage criticism. tree →
3) To savage someone or something is to attack it fiercely, with teeth or with words. tree →
4) (slang) Savage means boldly harsh, rude in a funny way, or super cool: «That comeback was savage!» tree →
5) (offensive, old) In the past Europeans called other peoples «savages»; this was unfair and racist, and we do not use it about people today. tree →
sense in the lessons
In stories it describes fierce animals and storms. In history lessons pupils learn that calling Indigenous peoples «savages» was a way of looking down on them. In young people's slang «savage» praises a brutal joke or a bold move. Phrases: «a savage attack», «savage storm», «be savaged by a dog», «that's savage» (slang).
examples
- The farmer's sheep were savaged by a dog. tree →
- A savage storm destroyed the pier. tree →
- Critics savaged the new film. tree →
- «Your jokes are like your football: weak.» «Oof, savage!» tree →
- Old explorers called local people «savages», which was cruel and wrong. tree →
- The lion gave a savage roar. tree →
- The school faced savage cuts to its budget. tree →
- They were savage fighters and hunters. tree →
note
Adjective, verb and noun. Calling people «savages» is offensive. Slang «savage» is a compliment among friends but can hurt if used to be mean. Adverb: savagely.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «savage» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.